How to get my deceased husband's Social Security earnings record from SSA?

I'm sorry for your loss. To get your husband's earnings record, you'll need to file Form SSA-7050 (Request for Social Security Earnings Information). You can't get this online - must be mailed in with proper ID documentation. As his widow, you'll need to provide his SSN, death certificate, and proof you're the legal representative (marriage certificate). There's a fee ranging from $24-136 depending on how many years you need. The form has instructions for what documentation to include.

u might not need his full record if ur just trying to figure out survivor benefits. SSA shud be able to tell u what ur eligible for without that expensive report. did u try making an appointment with your local office?

when my husband died last year i went thru this exact thing!!! the ONLY way i could get anywhere was going to the office in person BUT even then they told me i needed an appointment which was ridiculous because i couldnt get thru on the phone to MAKE an appointment!!!! It was the most frustrating experience ever and i cried right there in the lobby.

Got the same runaround after my wife passed. SS system is designed to make you give up! I finally got through after calling EXACTLY at 9:00am Monday morning. Set my alarm and everything. Still waited 45 minutes but at least didn't get disconnected that time.

Instead of dealing with the frustration of endless holds and disconnections, I'd recommend trying Claimyr (claimyr.com). It's a service that basically waits on hold with SSA for you, then calls you when an agent is on the line. I used it last month to schedule my survivor benefits appointment after trying for weeks to get through on my own. They have a video demo of how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. It saved me so much stress, especially since I was also dealing with grief at the time.

You actually don't need the full earnings history to claim survivor benefits! This is a common misconception. What you DO need to do is apply for survivor benefits, which should be done as soon as possible since some benefits are time-sensitive. There are different types of survivor benefits - if you're at your Full Retirement Age (FRA), you can receive 100% of what your husband was receiving or would have received. If you're younger, you get a reduced percentage. Your best route is getting an appointment with SSA, bringing your marriage certificate, his death certificate, both your Social Security numbers, and your birth certificate. They'll be able to calculate everything for you without that expensive detailed earnings report.

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS BROKEN!!! I spent 6 MONTHS trying to get my husband's records after he passed and kept getting different answers from everyone!!! One agent told me I needed this form, another said a different form, then they lost my paperwork TWICE!!! It's like they WANT to make it impossible for widows to get what they deserve!!! DISGRACEFUL!!

To answer your question about timing - if you do still want the detailed earnings record, it typically takes 4-6 weeks after you submit the SSA-7050 form. But as others have mentioned, for survivor benefits purposes, you don't typically need that detailed history. Since you're 62, you have options. You could take reduced survivor benefits now and switch to your own retirement at 70 (if your own benefit would be higher), or take your own reduced retirement now and switch to survivors at your FRA. It depends on the relative benefit amounts and your financial needs. This is exactly what they should discuss with you at your appointment.

my cousin did that thing where she took survivor benefits at 60 then switched to her own at 70 and gets way more now than if she had just stuck with one. but u gotta run the numbers cuz its different for everybody

I wanted to follow up on my experience. After using Claimyr to get through to SSA, I was able to schedule an appointment for the following week. At the appointment, the SSA representative ran calculations based on both my record and my late husband's. They provided estimates for different claiming strategies - taking survivors now vs. later. I never needed the full earnings record after all, just the documentation others mentioned here. The whole process was much smoother once I actually got the appointment scheduled.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Evelyn. I went through this same process when my mom passed away two years ago. The advice about not needing the full earnings record for survivor benefits is spot on - I almost paid for that expensive report before someone at the SSA office told me it wasn't necessary. One tip that really helped me: if you can't get through by phone, try visiting your local office first thing in the morning without an appointment. I know they say you need one, but I found that if you arrive right when they open and explain you're dealing with survivor benefits, they're often more accommodating. Bring all your documents in a folder - marriage certificate, death certificate, both Social Security cards, your ID, and his birth certificate if you have it. The timing strategies others mentioned are really important too. At 62, you have flexibility that can make a big difference in your lifetime benefits. Don't rush into a decision - make sure they show you the numbers for different scenarios.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Evelyn. I went through this exact situation when my father passed away last year. The most important thing to know is that you DON'T need to pay for his detailed earnings record to get survivor benefits - that was the first thing the SSA representative told me when I finally got my appointment. Here's what worked for me: I kept trying to call at exactly 9:00 AM on weekdays (set multiple alarms). It took about a week of attempts, but I eventually got through. When you do get someone on the phone, ask them to schedule your appointment right then - don't hang up without one scheduled. For the appointment, bring: your marriage certificate, his death certificate, both of your Social Security cards, your driver's license, and his birth certificate if you have it. They'll calculate your survivor benefit options on the spot. Since you're dealing with those self-employment years from the 90s, don't worry - SSA has all that information in their system already. Those years likely contributed to his overall benefit calculation, especially if he paid self-employment taxes. The key decision you'll face is timing - at 62, you can take reduced survivor benefits now, or wait for your full retirement age to get 100% of his benefit. They'll run the numbers for different scenarios so you can make the best choice for your situation.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Evelyn. I just went through this process myself after my wife passed away 6 months ago. The good news is that everyone here is right - you absolutely do NOT need to pay for the detailed earnings record just to get survivor benefits figured out. Here's what I learned: The key is persistence with getting that appointment. I had the best luck calling the national number (1-800-772-1213) right at 9:00 AM sharp on Tuesdays - seems like Monday mornings are swamped but Tuesday worked better for me. Have a pen ready because once you get through, they can schedule your appointment immediately. When you go to your appointment, they'll access his complete earnings record in their system and run all the calculations for you on the spot. They showed me different scenarios - taking survivor benefits at my current age vs waiting, taking my own retirement benefit vs survivor benefit, etc. It was actually really helpful to see the numbers side by side. One thing that surprised me: even though my wife had some spotty work years, her overall benefit was higher than I expected because of how they calculate the highest 35 years. Those self-employment years your husband had likely count more than you think. The hardest part is just getting through that initial phone call. Once you have the appointment, the actual process moves pretty smoothly. Hang in there!

I'm so sorry for your loss, Evelyn. I lost my husband 8 months ago and went through this exact same confusion about his earnings record. The advice everyone's given here is absolutely correct - you don't need to pay for that expensive detailed record just to determine survivor benefits. What worked for me was going to my local SSA office first thing in the morning (around 7:45 AM) and waiting for them to open. I brought a folder with all the documents others mentioned - marriage certificate, death certificate, both our Social Security cards, and my ID. Even though they initially said I needed an appointment, when I explained I was dealing with survivor benefits and had been unable to get through by phone, they worked me in. The representative was actually very kind and ran all the calculations right there. She explained that at 62, I had the option to take reduced survivor benefits immediately or wait until my full retirement age for 100%. She also showed me how I could potentially take one type of benefit now and switch to the other later if it would result in higher lifetime benefits. The self-employment years shouldn't be an issue at all - they have all that information in their system already. Don't stress about tracking down old records unless they specifically ask for something. One last tip: if you do decide to try calling again, I had success calling the national number at exactly 8:00 AM (not 9:00 AM) - seemed like there was less volume that early. Good luck, and don't hesitate to ask if you have more questions as you go through this process.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Evelyn. I went through this same process when my father passed away last year, and I want to echo what others have said - you absolutely do not need to pay for that detailed earnings record to get survivor benefits sorted out. Here's what worked for me: I tried the early morning calling strategy (8:00 AM sharp on a Wednesday) and got through on my third attempt. When you do get someone, don't hang up until you have an appointment scheduled - that's crucial. For your appointment, bring everything in a organized folder: marriage certificate, his death certificate, both Social Security cards, your driver's license, and his birth certificate if you have it. The SSA representative will access his complete work history in their system and show you different benefit scenarios. Since you're 62, you have some good options. You could take reduced survivor benefits now (around 82.5% of his full benefit) or wait until your full retirement age for 100%. They might also show you a strategy where you take one benefit now and switch to another later - this can sometimes maximize your lifetime benefits. Don't worry about those self-employment years from the 90s. If he paid self-employment taxes, those years are already in the SSA system and likely contributed positively to his benefit calculation. The SSA uses his highest 35 years of earnings, so even years with lower earnings can still help if he didn't have 35 full years of other work. Stay strong - once you get that appointment, the process moves much more smoothly than the initial phone frustration suggests.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Evelyn. I went through this exact situation when my mother passed away two years ago, and I completely understand how overwhelming it feels. The good news is that everyone here is absolutely right - you don't need that expensive earnings record to get your survivor benefits figured out. Here's what finally worked for me: I called the SSA national number (1-800-772-1213) at exactly 7:45 AM on a Thursday morning and got through on my second try. It seems like calling just before 8 AM hits that sweet spot before the rush but after they're fully staffed. Have everything ready - pen, paper, and your calendar - because once you get through, they can schedule your appointment right then and there. For your appointment, I brought a simple manila folder with: marriage certificate, his death certificate, both Social Security cards, my driver's license, and his birth certificate. The SSA representative accessed his complete work history right in their computer system and walked me through all my options. They even printed out different scenarios so I could take them home and think about it. Don't worry at all about those self-employment years from the 90s - the SSA already has all that information from when he filed his taxes. In fact, those years likely helped his overall benefit calculation since they use the highest 35 years of earnings. At 62, you have flexibility that can really work in your favor. The representative will show you the math on taking survivor benefits now versus waiting, and even the possibility of taking one benefit now and switching later. It's actually pretty empowering once you see all the numbers laid out. Hang in there - the hardest part is just getting through that first phone call!

I'm so sorry for your loss, Evelyn. I just want to add one more perspective that might help - I'm a former SSA employee who worked in the field offices for 15 years before retiring. Everyone here has given you excellent advice about not needing the expensive earnings record for survivor benefits determination. One thing I'd add: when you do get your appointment (and you will!), ask the representative to explain the "restricted application" strategy if you're eligible. Since you're 62, there might be scenarios where you could file for just survivor benefits now while letting your own retirement benefit grow until age 70. This isn't available to everyone, but it's worth asking about. Also, bring a small notebook to your appointment. There will be a lot of numbers and dates discussed, and it helps to have everything written down so you can review it at home without pressure. The representatives are usually very patient about explaining things multiple times, but having notes helps. The self-employment years from the 90s are actually often beneficial because self-employment income typically results in higher Social Security credits than people expect. Don't worry about those gaps at all. One last tip from the inside: if you're still having trouble getting through by phone, try calling your local field office directly rather than the national number. The wait times are often shorter, and they can schedule appointments too. You can find your local office number on the SSA website. You're going to get through this - the system works once you get past that initial phone hurdle.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Evelyn. I went through this same process when my dad passed away last year. Everyone here has given you excellent advice - you definitely don't need that expensive earnings record to figure out survivor benefits. What worked for me was calling the SSA number (1-800-772-1213) at exactly 8:00 AM on a Tuesday morning. I literally set three alarms and had my phone dialing right at 8:00. Got through on my first try that way! The key is having your calendar ready because they'll schedule your appointment right then. For the appointment, I made a simple checklist and brought: marriage certificate, death certificate, both Social Security cards, driver's license, and birth certificate if you have it. The SSA worker pulled up his complete work history on their computer and showed me all my options. They even gave me a printout with different scenarios to review at home. Don't stress about those self-employment years from the 90s - if he paid his self-employment taxes, SSA already has all that info and it probably helped his benefit calculation more than you think. At 62, you have some really good timing options. The worker will show you the numbers for taking survivor benefits now versus waiting, plus some strategies where you take one benefit and switch later. It's actually pretty empowering once you see it all laid out. The phone call is definitely the hardest part, but once you get that appointment, everything moves smoothly. You've got this!

I'm so sorry for your loss, Evelyn. I went through something similar when my mom passed away last year. Everyone here has given you fantastic advice - you absolutely do not need that expensive earnings record to get survivor benefits calculated. I want to add one more approach that worked for me: I had success using the SSA's online appointment scheduler at ssa.gov/onlineservices. Sometimes it's easier than getting through by phone. You can also check if your local office accepts walk-ins during certain hours - mine had "survivor benefits" walk-in hours on Wednesday mornings from 9-11 AM. For your appointment, definitely bring that folder with all the documents others mentioned. One thing that really helped me was writing down my questions beforehand, including asking about the timing strategies for taking benefits. At 62, you have valuable flexibility that can make a big difference over your lifetime. Those self-employment years from the 90s are absolutely not going to hurt - SSA has all that information already, and self-employment earnings often contribute more to the benefit calculation than people expect. The most important thing is don't give up on that first phone call. Whether you try the early morning calling strategies others suggested, use the online scheduler, or show up for walk-in hours, you will get through this process. Once you have that appointment scheduled, you're going to feel so much more confident about your options.